Calculating machine



March 31, 1942. F. A. NIEMANN 2,273,133

CALCULATING MACHINE v Filed Sept. 25, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. f3? def: of A: Mir/W444 ATTORNEY.

March 31, 1942.

F. A. NIEMANN CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 25, 1939 s I Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENT OR.

BY 'M a ATTORNE'Y.

r F. A. NIEMANN CALCEJLATING MACHINE March 31, 1942.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 25, 1939 ATTORNEY.

. lower order.

iiatented Mar. 31, N42

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CALCULATING MACHINE Frederick A. Niemann, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Felt & Tarrant Mfg. 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation oi. Illinois Application September 25, 1940, Serial No. 358,222

8 Claims.

of the invention have other and more general valuable application.

in the machines of the above-referred to Felt patents, a subtraction lever is associated with the tens transfer or carrying mechanism of each denominational order of the machine, except the units order, which is operable to prevent or 011 a carry thereto from the mechanism of the next Patent No. 1,840,378 issued January 12, 1932, to Carlos Wittenmyer discloses such a subtraction lever, together with means for looking the same in operative or carry foiling position and means for automatically unlocking the subtraction lever only after a carry has been attempted and foiled thereby. In my prior Patent No. 2,104,051 of January 4, 1938, means are disclosed .for selectively locking the subtraction or carry cut-out levers in operative or carry foillng position and for permitting manual release thereof at any time, together with means associated therewith for concealing the numeral wheel in the denominational order or orders from which a carry has been foiled.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of simplified means for latching a subtraction or carry cut-out lever in operative or carry toiling position, which will be automatically released after a carry has been attempted and foiled to permit the return of the lever to normal or inoperative position, or which may be manually released at any time.

Another very important object of the invention is the provision of means for automatically moving such carry cut-out lever latching means from operative position to release position whenever the accumulator is zeroized.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of means for automatically blocking operation of any of the carry cut-out or subtraction lever latching means after the accumulator has been set to zero and until a subsequent Y digital actuation has been imparted thereto.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means operatively associated with each subtraction or carry cut-out lever for visually indicating the particular denominational order or orders in which a carry cut-out lever has been operated to prevent a carrying impulse from being imparted thereto.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood irom the following description, which, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is an enlarged detail, longitudinal, vertical section through the accumulator mechanism of a calculating machine embodying the features of the instant invention, and shcwing the several parts thereof associated with one denominational order in normal or inoperativeposition;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the subtraction lever and the latching means and indicator associated therewith in operative position;

Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view of a portion of the calculating machine showing the operating button of one of the subtraction levers and the indicator associated therewith in operative position;

the present invention is shown as being incorporated in a calculating machine having an outer casing 2! within which the various instrumentalities of the machine are mounted on skeleton plates 23 disposed between the various actuating mechanisms of the several denominational oroers and secured together in spaced relationship at suitable points by transverse tie-rods 24. A plurality of columns of digital keys 25 are provided for imparting the desired digital degree of actuation to the different denominational orders of accumulator mechanism, each column of keys being adapted to control the rotation of an accumulator pinion journaled upon a transverse shaft 30 that extends across the machine and is supported by the frame members 23. Rotation of this accumulator pinion is transmitted through an internal ratchet mechanism to a combined lantern wheel and gear 3|, which is also journaled on the shaft 30. The gear 3| ship to the shaft 30. The gear 32 meshes with mechanism, as well as that hereinbefore described, ismore fully disclosed in the above-cited Patent No. 1,357,748, and includes a carryingcam member 43 which is given a 180 rotation by a suitable carrying motor spring associated with the gear 32 of the next lower denominational order for each tens transfer that is to be effected.

The carrying-cam member 46 acts upon a dolly roll 31 journaled on a bell crank carrying-lever 43 to swing the latter in a clockwise direction, viewing Figs. 1 and 2. Such swinging of the carrying-lever 48 causes a carrying-pawl 39 pivotallv mounted on said lever to throw the lantern wheel and gear 3| a sufficient distance to impart a digital unit of actuation to the numeral wheel 33, through the train of gears 32, 34, 3B.

The accumulator is adapted to be cleared or zeroized by disconnecting the connections between the numeral wheels and the actuating mechanism therefor. More particularly, zeroiz ing is effected by detraining or disengaging the gears 32 from the pinions 3| of the lantern wheels.

The shafts 33, 35 and 31 are mounted in and supported by the skeleton frame members 23. The shaft 33 of the gears 32,..however, is carried by a swinging frame that is adapted to have a slight outward or forward pivotal movement (to the right in Figs. 1 and 2) on an axis coincident with the shaft 35. This swinging frame is made up of a plurality of partition plates 64 transversely connected together at suitable points by tie-rods 65. As the swinging frame carries the shaft 33 of the gears 32, the latter are disconnected from the gears 3| whenever an outward pivotal movement is imparted to said frame, from its position of Figs. 1 and 2, about the shaft 35 as an axis. This detraining or disconnection of the gears 32 from the gears 3| is a function incidental to the clearing or zeroizing of the accumulator, and the swinging frame is retained in such outward or detraining position after a zeroizing operation has been effected and until a key 25 has been depressed to effect a further or subsequent operation of the accumulator, whereupon the frame is again restored to its normal position of Figs. 1 and 2 for entraining the gears 32 with the gears 3|.

A more detailed description of all of the mech-- anism hereinbefore referred to is not thought to be necessary to a clear understanding of the instant invention, reference being hereby made to the earlier cited Patent No. 1,357,748 for such a description. The reference numerals used so far herein are the same as those applied to like parts in said patent. It will be readily understood, of course, that the instant invention may be incorporated in numerous other types of calculating machines.

In its preferred embodiment, the instant invention comprises a novel subtraction or carry cut-out lever, a latch lever therefor, and a latch releasing and blocking lever, which are indicated generally by reference numerals ll, 12 and I3, respectively, and are shown separately in Figs. 5 to 7. The subtraction or carry cut-out lever II is formed in any suitable manner from flat stock to provide upper and lower end portions l4 and 15 offset laterally from and parallel to each other and joined by a. transverse central portion 16. The inner ends of the end portions 13 and 15 are provided with suitable alined apertures for pivotally supporting the lever H on a cross shaft mounted in the skeleton frame members 23 and extending across the several denominational orders of the machine. The upper end portion H is centrally curved to clear the tierod 24 which is disposed directly behind it when the lever 1| is mounted in the machine as shown in Fig. 1, and extends upwardly through a suitable slot 18 provided in the top wall of the casing 2| to the right of the usual numeral wheel sight aperture 18 (Fig. 3) of the particular denominational order of the accumulator mechanism in which the said carry cut-out lever functions to prevent a carry. At its upper end, the lever II is provided with a finger button 8| of any suitable material which is mounted thereon in any desired manner. Adjacent the lower portion of the curved part of the upper end 14, the lever 'H is provided with a slot or recess 82 in its upper edge which embraces a suitable cross shaft 83 extending transversely of the machine. The slot 82 and shaft 83 function to limit forward and rearward swinging or pivotal movement of the lever H on the shaft ll. Adjacent the upper portion of the curved part of the upper end 14, the lever TI is provided with a laterally extending pin 84 which is secured thereto in any suitable manner.

The lower end portion 15 of the carry cut-out lever ll curves forwardly and terminates in a tail which engages under a suitable lateral extension on the forward end of the carryingpawl 45. In the normal position of the parts shown in Fig. 1, this forwardly extending tail portion of the lever II will not interfere with the rearward and upward movement of the carryingpawl 49 in the swinging of the carrying-lever 43 to impart a carrying impulse to the lantern wheel gear 3 I. In order to prevent such a carrying impulse from being given to the gear 3|, however, it is only necessary to swing the carry cut-out or subtraction lever II-in a counter-clockwise direction for a very short distance from its normal position of Fig. l to its operative position of Fig. 2. In the latter position, the upper surface of the forwardly extending tail portion of the lever ll lifts the forward end of the carrying-pawl 49 to swing the latter in a counterclockwise direction into inoperative position and hold it there during rearward movement thereof by the carrying-lever 48. Consequently, rearward movement of the upper end of the carryingmawl 49 will be below the pins of the lantern wheel gear 3| when the carry cut-out lever H is in its operative position of Fig. 2, and the carry attempted by such movement of the carrying-pawl will be foiled.

' The lever 12 functions to automatically latch the carry cut-out lever II in such operative position in the following manner. The lever 12 is provided with three arms, an upwardly and rearwardly extending arm 85 offset in one direction, a downwardly and forwardly extending arm 85 having a tip or nose portion 31 offset in the opposite direction, and an upwardly extending arm 88 offset in the same direction as the nose ll, the whole being formed in any desired manner from fiat stock. At the intersection of the three arms, the lever 12 is provided with a hollow or tubular hub member 39 which extends therethrough and is rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner. The hub 89 is rotatably mounted on the numeral wheel shaft 31, with that por- I tion thereof extending in the direction of the tip 81 contacting-the inner hub portion of the numeral wheel 38 (Fig. 4). shown in the drawings is constructed similarly The numeral wheelto that disclosed in my co-pending application 4 Serial No. 218,423, filed July 9, 1938.

As will be seen in Fig. 4, the arms 88 and 88 of the lever I2 are thus positioned on one side of the adjacent skeleton frame member 23, while Fig. l, with the rear edge of the slot 82 engaging the shaft 83, and the upper edge of the arm 85 abutting against the lower surface of the pin 94. Consequently, when the carry cut-out lever Ii is swung to its operative position of Fig. 2 by rearward pressure being applied to the finger button 8%, the spring 9| will automatically function to move the lever I2 in a clockwise direction to bring the end surface of the arm 85 into engagement under the pin 84. The carry cut-out lever li will thus be automatically latched in operative position by the lever '52.

However, due to the angular shape given to the end of the arm 85 of the latch lever 12, and

because the latter is only yieldably held in such latching position by the spring 9|, the carry outout lever it may be manually returned to normal or inoperative position at any time merely by exerting sufficient pressure against the finger button M in a forward direction.- When the finger button 8% is moved forwardly manually from its position of Fig. 2. the pin 84 will cam the arm 85 of the latch lever I2 downwardly against the action of the spring 9!, and the parts will be returned to their normal position of Fig. 1. It will be noted that the lever 12 and spring 9| are not only adapted to latch the carry cut-out lever II in operative position. but also function to resiliently maintain the latter in its normal or inoperative position of Fig. l. I

Means are provided for automatically returnabout the shaft 96, the wing 94 will engage the nose 81 and move the latch lever 12 to its release or normal position of Fig. 1 to permit the spring 9| to return the carry cut-out lever II to its normal position. The spacing, position and shape of the several parts are such that return of the carry cut-out lever 1| to normal position will take place only after the attempted carry has been foiled thereby.

Means are also provided for automatically returning the carry cut-out lever 'II from its operative position of Fig. 2 to its normal or inoperative position of Fig. 1, regardless of whethshaft 35. The lower end 99 of the lever I3 term'inates in a bifurcated portion IOI which slidably engages a transverse shaft I82 extending through and carried by the partition plates 64 of the swingable accumulator frame.

As has been earlier described, zeroizing of the accumulator is accomplished by an outward or ing the carry cut-out lever II from its operative position of Fig. 2 to its normal or inoperative position of Fig. 1 as soon as it has accomplished its function of foiling or preventing a carry. The bell crank carrying-lever 48 hereinbefore referred to is provided at its upper end with a trans-.

versely extending wing 94 formed integrally therewith and bent downwardly at its outer end at 95 to provide a hub portion. Suitable apertures in the main part of the carrying-lever 48 and in the wing or hub 95, which are transversely alined, make a hub out of this portion of the lever for pivotally supporting the same on a transverse shaft 98 extending through and supported by the skeleton frame members 23. When the carry cut-out lever II and the latch lever I2 are in their operative positions of Figs. 2 and 4, the nose 8! of the latter is disposed in slightly spaced relation to, and in the path of movement of, the transversely extending wing 94 of the carrying lever 48. Consequently, when a carry is attempted and the carrying-lever 48 is swung in a clockwise direction (viewing Fig. 2)

forward swinging of the partition plates 64 (counter-clockwise in Figs. 1 and 2) about shaft 35 as an axis. Such movement of the plates 64 will result in the lever 13 being swung in the same direction, counter-clockwise in Fig, 2. by the shaft I82 about the shaft 35 as a pivot. The upper end 98 of the lever I3 terminates in a rearwardlycurved nose portion I83 which is disposed in front of a transversely extending wing I84 provided on the upper arm 88 of the latch lever 12. In the normal position of the lever I3 shown in the drawings, the nose I83 is out of the path of movement of the wing I84. Such counter-clockwise swinging of the lever 13 by the partition plates 94 in zeroizing of the accu- .mulator, however, causes the nose I83 to move against the wing I84 and swing the latch lever I2 from its position of Fig. 2 to its position of Fig. l to release the carry cut-out lever II. The carry cut-out lever II is thus automatically returned from operative to inoperative position whenever the accumulator is zeroized.

The lever I3 also functions to prevent the setting-of the latch lever 12 to its operative position of Fig. 2 after zeroizing of the accumulator has been effected and until a subsequent digital actuation has been imparted thereto. As has been earlier described, the partition plates 61 of the swingable frame of the accumulator remain in their forward position, to which they have been moved in effecting a zeroizing operation, until a subsequent digital actuation of the accumulator, when they are automatically returned to their normal position of the drawings.

When the plates 84 are in such forward position, the shaft I82 will retain the lever 13 in its operative position in which the nose I83 is disposed rearwardly of its position of the drawings and substantially in contact with the wing I84 when the lever 12 is in its normal position of Fig. 1. Consequently, clockwise movement of the latch lever I2 from its normal position of Fig. l to its operative position of Fig. 2 is blocked to its normal position of the drawings.

- Means are provided for visually indicating to the machine operator the particular denominational order or orders of the machine in which a subtraction or carry cut-out lever II has been latched in operative position for preventing a carrying impulse from being imparted thereto.

Above the wing I, the upper arm 88 of the latch lever 12 is provided with a horizontally disposed lateral extension or flange portion I which is preferably formed integrally therewith. The flange I05 is in longitudinal alinement with the sight opening 19 for the numeral wheel 38 of the denominational order to which the carry cut-out lever ll associated with that particular latch lever I2 prevents a carrying impulse from being imparted. The forward edge of the flange I is normally disposed behind therear edge of the opening 19, as shown in Fig. 1. Whenever the latch lever 12 is in its operative position of Fig. 2, however, in which it retains its associated carry cut-out lever II in carry foiling position,

the forward edge of the flange I05 projects a.

short distance into the numeral wheel sight opening 19. This is illustrated in Fig. 3, in which the two right-hand carry cut-out levers II are shown in normal or inoperative position, with their associated indicator flanges I05 being inthat various changes may be made in the form,

construction and arrangement of the parts without sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a calculating machine having accumulator mechanism including tens carrying devices, a normally inoperative lever selectively movable to operative position to make ineffective the operation of a said tens carrying device, latch means operable upon movement of said lever to operative position to latch said lever in operative position, and means associated with said tens carryingdevice and movable thereby, after an attempted carry thereby has been foiled by said first lever, to release the latter to allow the return thereof to inoperative position, said latch means including an element having an inclined surface adapted to engage said lever when in latching position, the inclination of said surface being such as to enable disengagement of said element from said lever upon the application of manual pressure to said lever in the direction towards its inoperative position.

2. In a calculating machine having accumulator mechanism including tens carrying devices, a normally inoperative lever selectively movable to operative position for preventing the operav tive position, and a spring interconnecting said levers and operable to move said first lever to by the lever I3, until the latter has been moved.

inoperative position and said second lever to latching position, said second lever having an arm disposed in the path of movement of said tens carrying-device so as to be moved. to release position by said tens carrying device, after an attempted carry thereby has been prevented by said first lever, to allow said spring to return said'iirst lever to inoperative position, the inclination of said surface with respect to said first lever being such as to enable disengagement of said second lever from said first lever upon the application of manual pressure to said first lever in the direction towards its inoperative position.

3. In a calculating machine having accumulator mechanism including tens carrying devices, and mechanism for zeorizing said accumulator; normally inoperative means selectively movable to operative position for foiling a said tens carrying device, latching means operable upon movement of said first means to operative position to latch the same therein, and means operable by said zeroizing mechanism for moving said latching means to release said first means, said last means including an element movable into the path of movement of said latching to operative position for preventing the operation of a said tens carrying device, a second lever automatically operable upon movement of said first lever to operative position to latch the same therein, and a third lever automatically operable by said zeroizing mechanism for moving said second lever to release said first lever.

5. In a calculating machine having accumulator mechanism including tens carrying devices,

a mechanism for zeroizing said accumulator; normally inoperative means selectively movable to operative position for preventing the operation of a said tens carrying device, latching means operable upon movement of said first means to operative position and including an inclined surface adapted to engage said first means to latch the same in operative position, latching means having an element engageable by said tens carrying device to move said latching means to release position after an attempted carry thereby has been prevented by said first means, and means operable by movement of said zeroizing mechanism for releasing said latching means when no carry has been attempted by said tens carrying device, the inclination of said surface with respect to said first means being such as to enable disengagement of said surface from said first means upon the application of manual pressure to said first means in the direction towards its inoperative position.

6. In a calculating machine having accumulator mechanism including tens carrying devices, and mechanism for zeroizing said accumulator; normally inoperative means selectively movable to operative position for preventing the operation of a said tens carrying device. latching means operable upon movement of said first means to operative position and including an inclined surface adapted to engage said first means to latch the same in operative position, said latching means having an element engageable by said tens carrying device to move said latching means to release position after an attempted carry thereby has been prevented by said first means, and means operable by movement of said zeroizing mechanism for releasing said latching means to release position when no carry has been attempted by said tens carrying device, the inclination of said surface with respect to said first means being such as to' enable disengagement of said surface from said first means upon the application of manual pressure to said first position, said release means including an element adapted to be disposed in the path of movement of said latching means to prevent movement of said latching means to latching position after operation of said zeroizing mechanism and until a subsequent actuation of said accumulator has been efiected.

7. In a calculating machine having an accu- I inulator including tens carrying. devices, and

digital control mechanism for setting valves into means in the direction towards'its inoperative said accumulators; normally inoperative means selectively movable to operative position for making ineflfective the operation of one of said tens carrying devices. means for latching said means in operative position, and means normally operative to prevent latching of said first means in operative position until said digital control mechanism has been actuated.

8. In a calculating machine having an accu- 

